Chico Historical Geographic Information System interactive website

Web mapping applications have been emerging throughout the internet in\ud recent years, crossing disciplinary lines to investigate places from an innovative and\ud interactive platform. These pioneering endeavors empower the individual to visualize\ud past places using a dynamic and creative environment. Archival data sources provide a\ud wealth of information to experienced scholars with proficient historical research skills but\ud they are rarely used by the general public. This project is an interdisciplinary approach to\ud research, combining historical scholarship and geospatial technology to examine the past.\ud The Chico Historical Geographic Information System (GIS) is a time-enabled spatial\ud analysis research tool that allows public access to historical maps, ownership records, population data, historical photographs and contemporary historic resource\ud documentation centralized into one integrated information management system.\ud Deployed from a cartographic perspective using an interactive and user-friendly website\ud interface, it is designed and developed for a wide variety of people with varying degrees\ud of technical skill. The South Campus Historic District, Chico???s original residential\ud neighborhood and the project area selected for this study, was listed on the National\ud Register of Historic Places in 1991. The Chico Historical GIS is designed to investigate\ud the neighborhood history, from its inception when the first lots were sold in 1862 through\ud to the end of the historic period in 1960. This project discourse describes the techniques\ud used to cultivate selected source material, create the Chico Historical GIS and visualize\ud these resources over the internet. This discussion will conclude with a brief analysis of\ud website visitor use and some future recommendations for further expansion of the\ud project.CSU, Chic